Healing Urban landscapes

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BAS10-6132_WE_Non-Resid_ad_1p_Cnd_Archi.indd 1 2/16/10 9:45:31 AM
FEBRUARY 2011, v.56 n.02
Contents
02/11 Canadian arChiteCt 5
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Cover tiFF BEll lightBox in toRonto BY
KUwABARA pAYnE mcKEnnA BlUmBERg
ARchitEcts AnD KiRKoR ARchitEcts. photo
BY mARis mEzUlis.
9 news
QuadrangleArchitectsunveilOntarios
nextgenerationofhighwayservicecentres;
CityofEdmontonparkpavilionarchitec-
turaldesigncompetition.
32 Calendar
WE: Vancouver12 Manifestos for the Cityat
theVancouverArtGallery;Norway-based
CanadianarchitectToddSaunderslectures
inToronto.
34 BaCkpage
JohnMartins-Manteigawritesaboutthe
dyingtraditionoftheexuberantlyexpres-
sivehand-paintedsign.
12 louis Bohme
mEnKs shoonER DAgEnAis lEtoURnEUx ARchitEctEs composE A sYmphonY oF
ARchitEctURAl gEstUREs in A REFREshinglY UnpREtEntioUs conDominiUm pRojEct in
montREAl. teXt oDilE hnAUlt
18 tiff Bell lightBoX
KUwABARA pAYnE mcKEnnA BlUmBERg ARchitEcts AnD KiRKoR ARchitEcts tAcKlE
A cUltURAllY signiFicAnt pRojEct on A pRominEnt sitE in Downtown toRonto.
teXt lEsliE jEn
25 wadi hanifah
moRiYAmA & tEshimA plAnnERs UnlEAsh somE FAiRlY impREssivE lAnDscApE mAnoEUv-
REs in sAUDi ARABiA, REsUlting in An AwARD-winning pRojEct thAt cElEBRAtEs A sUs-
tAinABlE FUtURE. teXt ElsA lAm
The NaTioNal Review of DesigN aND PRacTice/
The JouRNal of RecoRD of The Raic
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6 cAnAdiAnArchitEct 02/11
viEwpoint
Ian ChodIkoff ichodikoff@cAnAdiAnArchitEct.coM
Architects are becoming increasingly comfort
able with abandoning the burdens of criticality in
archi tectural theory, instead favouring approach
es to design practice that are grounded in colla
bo ration and making. Has the allure of opaque
architectural theory been replaced by an appetite
for honing skills that improve our ability to
inno vate?
For many years, the academy has been promo
ting a sense of criticality in architecture, yet there
is an indication that this trend is breaking down.
Nearly 10 years ago, Sarah Whiting, the current
dean of the Rice School of Architecture, began to
speak about projective architecture as a re
action to a formulaic method of criticism prom
ulgated by theoreticians like K. Michael Hays and
architecticonoclast Peter Eisenman. In 2002,
Whiting, along with Robert Somol, published an
essay entitled Notes Around the Doppler Effect
and Other Moods of Modernism in which they
write, So when architects engage topics that are
seemingly outside of architectures historically
defined scopequestions of economics or civic
politics, for examplethey dont engage those
topics as experts on economics or civic politics,
but, rather, as experts on design and how design
may affect economics of politics. For Whiting,
it is important that she not be misunderstood as
being postcritical but would prefer that we
use our intellectual and critical capacities as
architects to remain relevant in contemporary
society.
As a form of a rebuttal to Whiting and other
leading academics such as Michael Speaks who
decry the theoretical stagnation in contemporary
academia, George Baird, the Torontobased
architect, educator and 2010 RAIC Gold Medal
list, published an essay in late 2004 entitled
Criticality and Its Discontents. One can
sym pathize with Bairds fear that the putatively
projective forms of practice being advocated by
the critics of criticality have yet to offer a viable
alternative to wellentrenched critical approach
es to architecture. Without criticality, Baird feels
that architecture could all too easily find itself
conceptually and ethically adrift. In the January
2011 issue of Architectural Record, Baird reiterated
his concerns regarding todays architect de
veloping an impatience with dwelling on critical
and theoretical concernsas opposed to con
siderations having to do with architectural
practice, adding that the new generations
emphasis on pragmatic, openended architec
tural concerns could lead to a certain amorality
in outlook. If this is true, then why arent we
dusting off our books by Italian his torian and
critic Manfredo Tafuri, French philosopher
Jacques Derrida, or American literary critic
Fredric Jameson to solve the design problems
of today?
Is our profession heading for a disaster as a
result of shifting away from tired approaches to
critical thinking? Bruce Mau doesnt think so.
In fact, his essay entitled You Can Do Better
published in January 2011s Architect magazine
asserts that our obsession with cynicism, navel
gazing and selfalienation is a much bigger issue
threatening the profession today. To Mau,
Architecture is largely irrelevant to the great
mass of the worlds population because architects
have chosen to be [irrelevant]. Furthermore,
If you cant tell the difference between critical
and negative, and have conflated the two and
built a practice around challenging this or that,
and are wondering why people arent interested
dont come crying to me.
While many traditionally minded North Amer
ican architecture schools continue to disseminate
oldfashioned architectural theory, emerging
design schools prefer to focus on establishing
valuable partnerships to make design relevant
and essential to society. Moreover, the practical
benefits of rapidly evolving technologies that fa
cilitate cheap and efficient global communication
and collaborative opportunities have broadened
the relevancy and potential of todays graduate
architects, allowing them to build worthwhile
projects in Africa or establish successful global
entrepreneurships. Certainly, many of these
initiatives cannot be characterized as being
conceptually and ethically adrift.
New forms of design education are certainly
gaining ground. Stanford Universitys d.school,
the Danish Design School, the Singapore Uni
versity of Technology and Design, and the
Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and
Design in Moscow are all aggressively seeking
global design talent, and most interestingly,
graduates of other schools who are disappointed
with traditional design training. The Ontario
College of Art and Design (OCAD) offers degrees
such as a Master of Design in Inclusive Design,
and a Master of Design in Strategic Foresight and
Innovationboth of which intend to offer serious
challenges to schools teaching oldfashioned
architectural theory.
Life passes you by when you waste time theor
izing about it. The real possibilities that the next
generation of architects can offer is to capitalize
on the designrelated opportunities of our time
and do what Mau suggested in his essayget in
on the action and be part of this new world of
invention and beauty!
ofcriticAlrElEvAncE
2008 U.S. Green
Building Council
member organizations
grow to 15,000.
WHO SHapeS tHe future
Of green deSign?
You do.
What was once a quiet evolution has
become a revolutionary force. Your desire
for sustainable design has helped redefine
the meaning of green. Since we began
making nora

rubber flooring over

50 years ago, weve evolved with you.
Your concern for the environment continues
to create new standards for designing
in harmony with nature. it is why we
continually explore ways to blend the
best of technology with greener thinking.
it starts with you.
You and your challenges.
You and your world.
You and nora.
800-332-nOra
www.nora.com/us/green34
1988 1,000 communities
in America initiate
curbside recycling.
1998 EPA launches voluntary
programs for energy,
water, indoor air
quality, waste and
smart growth.
1968 Social environmental
movements take hold.
1978 Earth Day brings
awareness to Earths
need for continual care.
follow us: @noraflooring
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02/11canadian architect9
news
PrOJects
Quadrangle architects unveils Ontarios
next generation of highway service centres.
Quadrangle Architects celebrates the opening of
several new, modern highway service centres
along Ontarios Highways 400 and 401. Seven out
of the 20 service centres have been completed.
The inspiration for the Ontario Highway Service
Centres is rooted in the imagery of rock outcrop-
pings in Ontarios landscape. Each centres
unique locality is represented through mounted
screens in the local seating area which showcase
picturesque regional images. Digital media will
also promote local attractions and events. The
designs for all three sizes of centres incorporate
three distinct elementsa glass atrium with
sloped glass walls covered by a sloped metal roof;
traditional indigenous stone walls; and wood
trellises and canopies. To make these centres
distinctive from other highway service centres in
Canada, Quadrangle incorporated a broad range
of accessibility and universal design measures in
the new facilities to accommodate all visitors of
varying abilities. Glazed doors and sidelights are
clearly identified with custom-designed high-
contrast visibility strips to cater to people of all
heights. To avoid trip hazards, there are no stairs
in any of the centres. To enhance mobility, all
corridors are a minimum of 1,370mm wide and
there are turning areas with a 2,000mm diameter
for people using wheelchairs, scooters or other
assistive devices. All service counters are de-
signed with one 1,100mm-wide counter at a
height useable by persons in wheelchairs. Mosaic
tiles of a contrasting colour serve as a detectable
warning surface at the sloped glazing as well as to
indicate changes in direction. Universally access-
ible drinking fountains and telephones are also
provided. Telephones include a teletypewriter
(TTY), a longer cord and an added shelf to sup-
port a telecommunications device (TTD) for the
deaf. High-contrast colours were also used to de-
fine the boundary between the wall and the floor.
Signage by Bruce Mau Design employs sans-serif
font with simple uncluttered language and graph-
ics, and has sharp colour contrast for easier read-
ing as well as universal cultural symbols, raised
tactile lettering and Braille.
www.quadrangle.ca
awards
winners of the 2011 OaQ awards of
excellence in architecture announced.
The winners of the 2011 Ordre des architectes du
Qubec (OAQ) Awards of Excellence in Architec-
ture were recently announced. In the Institution-
al Category ($5M or more), Conservatoire de mu-
sique et dart dramatique de Montral in Mon-
treal by Saia Barbarese Topouzanov architects
claimed first prize. In the Cultural Category ($2M
or more), first prize was given to Thtre de
Quatsous in Montreal by Les architectes FABG
(Brodeur, Gauthier, Lavoie, architectes). In the
Industrial Category ($5M or more), the Extension
of the Centre de formation professionnelle Gab-
riel-Rousseau in Lvis by a consortium of archi-
tectsAnne Carrier architect + Onil Poulin archi-
tect took first prize. In the Commercial Category
(under $2M), first prize was awarded to Vitrines
habitesQuartier des spectacles in Montreal by
Daoust Lestage Inc. architecture, urban design.
In the Commercial Category ($2M or more), Uni-
versit de Sherbrooke, new Longueuil campus in
Longueuil by a consortium of architectsMarosi
+ Troy architects, Jodoin Lamarre Pratte and as-
sociates architects, Labb architect claimed first
prize. And in the Residential Category (Single
Family), first prize was given to La Cornette in
Canton de Cleveland, Estrie by YH2, Yiacouvakis
Hamelin, architects. For more information and a
complete list of winners and honourable men-
tions, please visit the website.
www.v2com.biz
cOMPetitiOns
edmonton Park Pavilion architectural
design competition.
Building on the legacy of Edmontons historic
parks pavilions, the City of Edmonton is spon-
soring a design competition for five individual
Parks Pavilions in five separate parks: Borden
Park, Castle Downs Park, John Fry Sports Park,
Mill Woods Sports Park, and Victoria Park. Each
project will be judged independently. Individuals
or teams are encouraged to join the competition
if they are eligible for registration with the
Alberta Association of Architects. First- and
second-place winners for each park will receive
recognition and monetary awards for the work
involved. The registration deadline is March 1,
2011, and the deadline for submissions is March
22, 2011.
www.edmonton.ca/DesignCompetition
canadian centre for architecture design
charrette winners announced.
This competition, entitled Alterotopia, was held
under the auspices of the Canadian Centre for
Architecture (CCA) and Montreal-based univer-
sities (Universit de Montral, UQM and McGill
University), in partnership with other Canadian
universities, and challenged students and interns
by inviting them to reflect on issues and prob-
lems in contemporary architecture around the
theme of making another city/stitching/con-
necting/sharing. Two first prizes were awarded
to a team of students from Carleton University
composed of Benot Lagac, Adam Johnston, Jes-
sica MacDonald, Josh Armstrong and Cipriano
Nolan, and to a team of two young UQM gradu-
ate interns, Anik Poirier and Albane Guy. Stu-
dents from the Universit de Montral, McGill
University, Universit Laval, UQM, Carleton
University, and Ryerson University had to pit
their ingenuity against one another from Novem-
ber 4-7, 2010. Working in teams, they presented
the jury with urban development proposals
adapted to the borough of Montral-Nord. With a
distinct social and urban fabric, due as much to
the ethnic and cultural diversity of its residents
as to the obvious disconnect between the urban
landscape and its boundaries, this northeastern
part of the citywhere small-scale elements
seem to dominateis home to the boroughs
aBOVeSaiaBarBareSeTopouzanovarchiTecTeSconServaToiredemuSiqueeTdarTdrama-
TiquedemonTralTookfirSTprizeinThecaTegoryofinSTiTuTionalBuildingwiTha
BudgeTover$5millionforThe2011oaqawardSofexcellence.
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poorest households and is one of Montreals
most densely populated areas.
coryn Kempster wins John street ideas
competition.
Urban Ballroom is Coryn Kempsters proposal for
the square at the intersection of King and John
Streets in Toronto, which aims to provide the
neighbourhood and its visitors an exciting and
playful multi-functional outdoor room. To allow
for different scales of occupation, from an indi-
vidual to a crowd, the space is furnished in dis-
tinct zones, which blend between one another
and the citys sidewalks. The ceiling of Urban
Ballroom is formed by a web of individually
solar-powered globe lights which illuminate the
space and provide spatial definition, compress-
ing the square in the middle through a catenary
bulge. The hardscaped ground lifts up subtly; its
complementary curvature allows the individual to
look over the crowd. The east and west ends of
the plaza are occupied by balls of various diam-
eters geometrically grouped into informal seating
areas. Kempster is the grand prize winner, while
Pete North has taken second prize with his pro-
posal entitled Entertain Me. The three remaining
finalists are: David Colussi for King Street Stair-
case; Rohan Almeida for King Street Terrace; and
Martin Gravel for Oracle Square.
www.torontoed.com/johnst
Ocad University appoints architect will
alsop as adjunct Professor.
The Faculty of Design at OCAD University an-
nounced that it has appointed internationally re-
nowned architect Will Alsop, designer behind the
Sharp Centre for Design at OCAD University, as
an Adjunct Professor. His appointment com-
menced in November 2010 and will continue
until 2013. In September 2011, Alsop will begin
teaching an Architectural Design Studio course
for upper-year undergraduate students, focusing
on the local urban context. Alsop is one of the
UKs most prominent architects and is a respect-
ed artist who has applied his bold and colourful
approach to award-winning projects across the
world. His stance is that art and architecture are
inseparable disciplines and he actively promotes
artistic contributions to the built environment.
He is guided by the principle that architecture is
both a vehicle and symbol of social change and
renewal. Alsop has expertise across every sector,
including transportation, health, education,
retail, residential, office, public, hospitality,
leisure and interiors, across the UK and inter-
nationally.
sustainable Building challenge call for
poster presentations.
The Sustainable Building Challenge is an inter-
national co-operative process promoting innova-
tive sustainable building design and seeking an
improved understanding of building perform-
ance assessment tools from a national and inter-
national perspective. SB Challenge will form a
key part of the Seventh World Sustainable Build-
ing Conference (SB11) to be held in Helsinki,
Finland from October 18-21, 2011. Submissions
are being solicited for poster projects to be dis-
played at SB11 to provide attendees with a more
complete understanding of the progress of sus-
tainable building in Canada and to enhance our
countrys participation in the conference. If you
are a Canadian architect, engineer, building
owner or commercial developer, you are invited
to submit your most environmentally advanced
project to be presented in poster format at the SB
Challenge in Helsinki. Commercial, institutional
and multi-unit residential building types from
the public or private sector with a minimum size
of 1,000 square metres will all be considered.
The submission deadline is March 31, 2011, and
an application fee of $150 CDN is required for
each submission.
www.iisbe.org/sbc11/canada
10canadian architect02/11
THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE
IS TO INVENT IT.
LAFITT

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12 canadian architect 02/11
Bohemian rhapsody
an urBan residential project in downtown montreal
is a dynamic contriBution to the citys dual identity as
a cultural and Business huB.
02/11 canadian architect 13
project Louis Bohme, montreaL, QueBec
architect menks shooner Dagenais Letourneux architectes
text oDiLe hnauLt
photos marc cramer, unLess otherwise noteD
opposite with vacant Lots in the foregrounD, the new apart-
ment compLex asserts itseLf in the Downtown montreaL con-
text. top a DetaiL of the faaDe reveaLs a consiDeraBLe Degree of
articuLationa reD paneL acknowLeDges existing Datum Lines
of nearBy BuiLDings. aBoVe the interior courtyarD permits ampLe
DayLight to penetrate the interior spaces of the BLock.
The Louis Bohme, one of Montreals newest downtown projects, owes its
strong urban presence first and foremost to an intelligent round of negotia-
tions between Menks Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux architectes and city
planners. The outcome of these negotiations was such that the developer
was able to propose a meaningful urban gesture that is responsive to the
cityrather than just building another residential compound oblivious to its
surroundings.
According to zoning regulations, the project was indeed slated to be a
sturdy 14-floor structure with minimal open space at ground level. The real
challengeand major breakthroughwas to figure out another way of occu-
pying the site. It was proposed to divide the project into two towersone
13 storeys and the other 28 storeyswhile maintaining a floor-to-area ratio
of 12.0.
The lower tower was designed to occupy the part of the site closest to the
newly completed Place des Spectacles on rue de Bleury, while the higher
tower was built along boulevard de Maisonneuve. The former relates to fur
industry manufacturing, which at one point was prevalent in this area of
Montreal, while the latter corresponds to the string of office buildings lo-
cated on either side of de Maisonneuve as one progresses towards the citys
business centre.
Because of the buildings L-shaped plan, residents were provided with a
greater variety of views and orientations. Those living above the 15th floor
of the de Maisonneuve tower were given a rare treat: in each elevator lobby,
an opening focuses the view towards one of Old Montreals true jewels, the
1920s Royal Bank Building with its pyramidal roof.
Freeing part of the site also provided the architects with an opportunity to
create an open space on the south side of the complex, over the entrance
leading to a six-level parking garage that contains 300 parking spaces. The
outdoor garden, measuring 245 square metres, is accessible directly from
the upper part of the main lobby where, aside from a few studio units, one
finds a lounge/library space and an exercise area. The mere concept of a
contemplative space, where tenants can read or just sit quietly, is one of the
aspects of this project that reveals real estate developer Javier Planass
Spanish origin.
Planas moved to Montreal almost 20 years ago and received public ac-
claim for remodelling the 1908 Canadian National Express Building (de-
signed by Hutchison and Wood) along rue McGill. Erected by the Grand
Trunk Railway Company at a time when Montreal was a major North Amer-
ican transportation hub, the building is now known as the Htel St-Paul,
the first boutique hotel that launched in Old Montreal.
Planas is the president of Iber Group, a Canadian company backed by
Spanish investors while Iber Immobilier, the actual client for the project, is
a real estate management fund created by Planas to tackle Louis Bohme,
his first major residential project in Montreal. Construction of the project
started in 2007 and ended in the summer of 2010.
By the time the building opened its doors, 98 percent of the units had
been sold. Although the architectural team had much to do with this suc-
cess, credit should also be given to mp1/inndesign, a firm responsible for
the projects branding and marketing strategy. They also contributed to the
choice of details, colours and materials for some of the interiors.
The 293 apartments vary in size from 58 to 150 square metres. Aimed at a
middle-income buyer, the design is fairly standard, as all units are a single
storey, accessible from a double-loaded corridor. The corner units, as one
might expect, are the most interesting. That being said, one welcomes the
fresh simplicity of the interior design, a relief in a market where ostenta-
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14 canadian architect 02/11
aBoVe, leFt to riGht a view of Louis Bohme, waLking east aLong
rue De BLeury; the apartment compLex seen when traveLLing
south aLong BouLevarD De maisonneuve. opposite, top to Bottom the
BuiLDings entrance on BouLevarD De maisonneuve aDDresses
the street in an urBane manner as if it was a commerciaL
storefront; the pLace Des festivaLspart of the new Quartier
Des spectacLesheLps Define the Louis Bohme in an increasing-
Ly animateD area of montreaL.
tion is often mistaken for elegance.
Considerable attention was paid to the detailing of the elevations. The
east faade, facing Place des Arts, is carefully crafted with a wall comprised
of aluminum, zinc and steel panels assembled in a mosaic-like pattern. So-
phisticated window elements with no apparent mullions were specifically
designed for this project. Metallic modules are all the same height, slightly
over half a metre, but they vary in length and hueblack, red, and dark and
light grey. A distinct rhythm, reminiscent in certain ways of musical nota-
tion, was thus created on this faade, which acts as a backdrop for the Jazz
Festival and other musical events that occur every summer in the streets
surrounding the building.
In contrast to this faade is the stark north elevation parallel to boulevard
de Maisonneuve, where the black granite aggregate added to the pre-fabri-
cated concrete panels creates a striking and almost abstract effect, highly
unusual for this type of building. Each of the buildings two street faades
expresses a distinct aspect of what Montreal is all about as a creative city.
Only metres away from the major performance and visual arts cluster of
Montreal, the Louis Bohme is also the portal to the citys business centre
towards the west. The higher tower thus acts as a beacon that celebrates
both the festive character of the city and its more serious professional
aspect.
At the junction of the buildings two wings is direct access to the Place
des Arts metro station, itself connected through a series of passageways to
Old Montreal, the Palais des congrs and Chinatown. Finally, the Louis
Bohme features a 1,500-square-metre commercial zone situated at ground
level on either side of the residential area. The sparsely furnished lobby
features a clever LED lighting system emanating a purple glow that creates
an eerie feeling.
Despite the inevitable changes that take place in a project of such com-
plexity, Menks Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux architectes were able to stay
on course throughout the design process, a feat largely attributed to a strong
architectural and urban parti. They managed to incorporate whatever con-
cessions that had to be made without compromising the essential concep-
tual underpinnings of their scheme.
Centrally located, the Louis Bohme fills one of Montreals numerous
downtown lots left vacant ever since the Drapeau era and its overambitious
dreams. Although a number of towers have been built in the last half-
century, few compare with I.M. Peis Place Ville-Marie, Mies van der Rohes
Westmount Square, and Peter Dickinsons CIBC building. As an urban
object, the Louis Bohme achieves a level of excellence that is respectful
02/11 canadian architect 15
Ground Floor
section
saint-urBain
jeanne mance
de Bleury
city councillors
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Garden space
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16 canadian architect 02/11
of the best Montreal has to offer in terms of
modern heritage. This is no small accomplish-
ment, and proof that urban gestures that engage
in a dialogue with the city can be financially sus-
tainable. ca
Odile Hnault is a Quebec-based architectural writer
and is currently editing a forthcoming book on the
work of Dan Hanganu to be published by TUNS Press.
clocKwise From top leFt the two-storey front LoBBy conveys a feeLing of expansiveness;
Louis Bohme can Be seen in the Distance, with pLace Des arts BareLy visiBLe on the Left;
an exampLe of one of the apartments interior spaces.
client iBer immoBiLier
architect team Jean-pierre Letourneux, anik shooner, gatan
roy, aLain BouDrias, auDrey archamBauLt, catherine BLanger,
Jean-franois JoDoin, Jean-franois mathieu, macgregor wiL-
son, marc-antoine chartier-primeau, paoLo Zasso, pierre-aLexan-
Dre rhaume, vincent LauZon, anDra maceLwee, Benot Dupuis,
cLauDio nuneZ
structural/ciVil gnivar
mechanical/electrical Dupras LeDoux ingnieurs
interiors inn Design
eleVators Jean-marc gagnon et associs
contractor eBc inc.
area 45,000 m
2

BudGet $60 m
completion august 2010
1 BuiLDing LoBBy
2 pLace-Des-arts metro entrance
3 commerciaL space
4 LiBrary/common room
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leVels 3 to 13
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Faculty of Architecture
and Planning

Dalhousie University Faculty of Architecture and Planning P.O. Box 1000 5410 Spring Garden Road Halifax Nova Scotia B3J 2X4 Canada
Fax: 902.423.6672 E-mail: arch.office@dal.ca Web: archplan.dal.ca
Dean's office Tel: 902.494.3210 School of Architecture Tel: 902.494.3971 School of Planning Tel: 902.494.3260

DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
P.O. Box 1000, 5410 Spring Garden Road
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2X4 10 December 2010

The School of Architecture at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada is looking for a new faculty member
who will be central to our studio-based curriculum. Most faculty teach in studio and one other stream: Practice,
Technology or Humanities. The School has a strong design orientation and includes undergraduate and graduate work
semesters that integrate professional experience with academic courses. The School is in downtown Halifax, a harbour
city of 360,000 and the metropolitan centre of Atlantic Canada. Dalhousie University (est. 1818) is the premier research
institution in the region, serving 16,000 students. We offer an accredited graduate professional degree in architecture and
an interdisciplinary Ph.D.

The School of Architecture invites applications for a teaching position in architectural design, with a clear academic
and/or professional research focus. This is a full-time, tenure stream appointment at the level of Assistant Professor. The
candidate will be expected to show evidence of an ability to teach core undergraduate courses both in a studio and in a
lecture format, and to supervise graduate theses. In addition, she/he should be able to present a graduate studio and a
graduate seminar to be developed in their area of research focus. All faculty collaborate with colleagues in curriculum
development and work with students across the entire curriculum.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated achievement in the practice and teaching of architecture, and promise for
excellence in design, teaching, and research. The successful candidate will have: (1) a professional degree in architecture,
(2) either an advanced degree in a field related to the position or eligibility for architectural registration in Canada, and (3)
knowledge of digital design media. The portfolio of work should demonstrate a creative integration of architectural design
in teaching, in practice, and in an area of scholarship.

Applications must include: (a) a statement of teaching and research orientation; (b) a full curriculum vitae including
address, telephone and email; (c) a portfolio including design work, teaching and publications; and (d) original letters of
reference, sent under separate cover, from at least four referees (and their contact information if it is not evident in the
letter). For best considerations, applications should be received by 15 March 2011. The process will continue until the
position is filled.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
Dalhousie University is an Employment Equity / Affirmative Action employer. We encourage applications from qualified
Aboriginal people, persons with a disability, racially visible persons, and women.

Send application packages to: Ted Cavanagh, Chair, Search Committee 2010/2011-1807
School of Architecture
Faculty of Architecture and Planning
Dalhousie University
P.O. Box 1000, 5410 Spring Garden Road
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3J 2X4

More information about the School and its activities can be found at <archplan.dal.ca>. General inquiries should be
directed to Martha Barnstead, Administrative Secretary to the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Planning,
Dalhousie University; e-mail <martha.barnstead@dal.ca>; telephone (902) 494-3210.
18 canadian architect 02/11
See the Light
a new home for the toronto inter-
nationaL fiLm feStivaL incorporateS
a diverSe and engaging program,
invigorating the cityS buStLing
entertainment diStrict.
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02/11 canadian architect 19
proJect TiFF Bell lighTBox, ToronTo, onTario
architectS KuwaBara Payne McKenna BluMBerg archiTecTs, Design
archiTecTs/KirKor archiTecTs & Planners, archiTecTs oF recorD
teXt leslie Jen
photoS ToM arBan anD Maris Mezulis
Toronto is perhaps finally emerging from a prolonged adolescence towards
something resembling a world-class city, the success of which is due largely
to recent architectural transformations in the citys core. Landmarks such
as the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and
Biomolecular Research, and the Royal Ontario Museum have achieved vary-
ing degrees of success and/or notoriety, but have nonetheless contributed
to putting the city on the global map.
A recent addition to this growing list is the TIFF Bell Lightbox, a complex
that is the result of many parties working in concert. Founded in 1976, the
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is an annual event which has
been gaining increasing importance in the global film industry in recent
years. TIFF staff had long been operating out of relatively dismal office
space at Yonge and Carlton Streets for years, and was in desperate need of a
new home. Several years ago, Hollywood film producer and director Ivan
Reitman stepped in, and with his sisters Agi Mandel and Susan Michaels,
donated the land on which the Lightbox now sits. Reitmans parents were
Holocaust survivors from the former Czechoslovakia who immigrated to
Canada in the 1950s, and a decade later, purchased Farbs Car Wash at the
northwest corner of the King and John Street intersection. Another party
eventually joined in the ventureThe Daniels Corporationwho, along with
the Reitman family, formed the King and John Festival Corporation (KJFC).
The TIFF Group, along with KJFC, are the official developers of the project.
Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects (KPMB) won the design
competition for the project in 2003, and they could not have been more
familiar with the site, as their offices are located directly across the street in
the Eclipse Whitewear Building. Principals Bruce Kuwabara and Shirley
Blumberg have been in this very same location since the mid-1970s, when
they both began their professional careers with architect Barton Myers, who
then owned the building with former partner Jack Diamond. Kuwabara and
Blumberg have witnessed the evolution of the neighbourhood practically
every day for three and a half decades; what better design team to under-
stand the urban context of the Lightbox?
This prime piece of property is located in the heart of the the Entertain-
ment District on the same stretch of King Street as the Royal Alexandra
Theatre and the Princess of Wales Theatre, both owned by the legendary
Mirvish family. King Street is a major east-west thoroughfare that runs
through the citys financial heart and the Entertainment District, and con-
tinues westward to the evolving fantasy lifestyle nexus of sleek condo-
miniums and boutique hotels clustered around King and Bathurst Streets.
John Street was identified in 2009 by the City as a cultural corridor, a
phrase that the Entertainment District Business Improvement Association
has capitalized on in attempts to beautify and pedestrianize the roughly
seven-block-long north-south conduit that runs from Grange Park behind
the Art Gallery of Ontario all the way down to Front Street.
Kuwabara maintains that there was no direct precedent for this type of
project. Certainly, there are multiplex theatres around the world, art house
theatres and film centres, but nothing with so broad a mixed-use program
as this. Five cinemas, two galleries, two restaurants and a lounge, a gift
shop, a film reference library, ample office and work space for 200 TIFF
employeesare all combined with a 43-storey condominium tower. The
residential component of the complex was primarily undertaken by Kirkor
Architects & Planners, and the soaring tower rises from KPMBs five-storey
podium base, devoted to TIFF and its accessory functions.
Led by design partner Kuwabara, partner in charge Blumberg, and project
architect Matthew Wilson, the design team worked closely with TIFF CEO
oppoSite The TiFF Bell lighTBox in all iTs nocTurnal glory. top View-
ers geT a VoyeurisTic gliMPse oF The MasTer conTrol rooM
hoVering oVer The cenTral aTriuM. above escalaTors, sTairs anD
BriDges are iMMeDiaTely aPParenT on The grounD Floor oF The
BuilDingexPliciT anD sTreTcheD circulaTion BecoMes a cine-
MaTic DeVice oF Procession, MoVeMenT anD sPecTacle.
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and Director Piers Handling, Executive Director and Chief Operating Offi-
cer Michele Maheux, and Noah Cowan, Artistic Director of the TIFF Bell
Lightbox, who were tireless in their efforts to realize the long-awaited pro-
ject. Kuwabara and Blumberg also enthused about the participation of a
team of prominent Canadian filmmakers that were brought in as consult-
ants early on in the design process. Atom Egoyan, Patricia Rozema, Don
McKellar and others were invited to offer their opinions on the facility, and
provided valuable insights to the design team. Artist Margaret Priest was
also invited to share her expertise, and brought with her an impressive skill
set and knowledge of film which informed some of the design elements in
the building, including the choice of bold accent colours on the interior.
First impressions reveal the massing of the building to be on the bulky
side, though this is perhaps unavoidable given the complex and extensive
program. Kuwabara likens the project to a mini-city of film, in which the
architectural volumes of the five cinemas are expressed as black zinc-clad
buildings within the building that seem to float in the interior atrium.
Blumberg adds that great efforts were made to express the parts of this pro-
gram, such as the cinema volumes pushing through the faade, although this
articulation could have been even more pronounced.
Reference to the medium of black and white film in this loft-like building
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02/11 canadian architect 21
is made through material choice, colour selection, and of course, the pres-
ence of light, according to Kuwabara. A restrained colour palette is ex-
pressed through the ubiquity of white drywall, grey concrete columns and
floors, frosted and clear glass, black zinc, and judiciously placed apertures
for the transmission of natural and artificial light.
More convincing is the employment of cinematic devices of transparency
and explicitly stretched circulation routes to provide as many vantage points
as possible for viewing and being viewed; the spectator becomes a partici-
pant. A soaring three-storey central atrium allows glimpses of the upper
floors from below as well as views from the second and third floors into the
ground-floor foyer of those queuing for tickets and milling about; glazed
balustrades and walls maximize sightlines. In addition to the escalators that
lead up to the second and third floors, visitors also have the option of taking
the stairs to the second-floor theatres, restaurant and lounge. Blumberg
says, Its important to provide alternate means of access upstairs, and
people do use the stair. Frosted glass balustrades define a second-floor
bridge that crosses the atrium, providing yet another expression of the
cinematic spectacle of procession and movement. And hovering at the west
end of the atrium on the third floor is the most captivating feature, the mas-
ter control room. A bright red box that opens up to the public with a large
window wall, it permits a voyeuristic and privileged view of where and how
all the magic happens. Here, technicians coordinate the projections in all
the theatres and on the dozens of screens throughout the building. Its like
peering behind the Wizard of Ozs curtain.
The building succeeds most resoundingly in its streetfront presence, and
the transparency of its functions to busy pedestrian and vehicular traffic on
King Street. The opening up of this faade on the ground and second floors
draws in the spectacle of street life, providing a striking contrast to the
colourful and eclectic array of restaurants occupying the three-storey
Victorian rowhouses across the street. The Lightbox beckons with wide ex-
panses of glazing, offering views of the tantalizing wares for sale in the gift
shop, and window displays promote current exhibitions in the Lightbox
GalleryTim Burton is on show until mid-April. Most successful in an
architectural, urbanistic and commercial sense is Canteen, the casual all-
day eatery occupying the prime corner spot at King and John Streets. Its
high ceilings, full-height glazing, bold graphics, and buzzy energy guarantee
it being packed at virtually all hours of the day, from breakfast to dinner. It
opens up this vital corner to the cityboth metaphorically and literally with
its summertime outdoor patiodrawing in both locals and tourists to enjoy
its accessible and reasonably priced menu offerings.
Situated directly above Canteen and also owned and operated by the
Oliver & Bonacini restaurant empire is Luma, a handsome room decked out
in stone, walnut and leather that provides a sedate setting for a civilized
lunch or dinner. It and the adjoining BlackBerry Lounge possess the same
understated corporate elegance seen in KPMBs earlier restaurant project
Nota Bene. A full wall of glazing ensures that both restaurant and lounge
enjoy entertaining views of the animated streetscape day and night, and
again, an outdoor terrace is open during warmer weather to allow customers
to engage even further with the neighbourhood.
Interestingly, its in these dining spaces where the architecture and in-
teriors are permitted to sing; a greater variety of materials and textural
contrast, along with effective signage and graphics, offers a degree of satis-
oppoSite top an aTMosPheric PhoTograPh caPTures The enTireTy oF
The BuilDings King sTreeT FaaDe. oppoSite bottom The seconD-
Floor BlacKBerry lounge enTices wiTh a Pleasing MaTerial Pal-
eTTe anD relaxeD ViBe. top right occuPying PriMe real esTaTe aT The
Busy corner oF King anD John, casual eaTery canTeen is
PacKeD FroM Morning To nighT wiTh cusToMers seeKing iTs
irresisTiBly sPiriTeD aMBiance anD a Place To waTch The worlD
go By. right luMa, The resTauranT on The seconD Floor, Pro-
ViDes a suiTaBly soPhisTicaTeD enVironMenT For ciVilizeD Dining.
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22 canadian architect 02/11
faction that is perhaps less evident in other spaces in the complex, which
can sometimes read as a bit flat with an overabundance of drywall and paint
substituting for KPMBs usual sophisticated and subtle mlange of material,
texture and colour. Its fairly obvious that budgetary shortfalls are to blame,
as so often they are.
On the sixth floor, a room for private events and parties leads onto a mag-
nificent outdoor space on the roof of the podium, revealing a grand stair
whose form, according to Kuwabara, takes inspiration from the striking re-
verse pyramidal staircase of the iconic Villa Malaparte on the Isle of Capri.
The villa was featured prominently in Jean-Luc Godards film Le Mpris
(1963), which Kuwabara describes as visually stunning. The roof terrace
and stair is no less stunningone of the most successful moments in the
Lightbox, with great potential for dramatic and filmic moments, offering
spectacular views of the city. The stair also generates one of the most dy-
namic features of the front elevationa boldly expressive stepped roofline
of the complexs podium that echoes the gradient of the stair. However, it is
unfortunate that access to this roof terrace is restricted to TIFF employees
and their invited guests; it has all the features of a grand public space that
ideally should be shared with the city and its residents.
The Lightbox is unquestionably a gift to the city of Toronto. Though
criticisms have been made of its overwhelming scale, the reality of the
citys evolution into a fully urban entity with a dense central core invariably
means bigger and taller. Ambitious changes are taking place, and this
most extraordinary project has formed an irresistible cultural, social and
entertainment hub that engages the community in a manner rarely seen
before in this town. Its September 2010 grand opening drew 10,000 vis-
itors, and a few weeks later during Nuit Blanche, the Lightbox welcomed a
steady stream of attendees all through the night to enjoy a compelling and
entertaining program of short films. Kuwabara asserts that a building ac-
quires a life that unfolds over time. In the five short months since its un-
veiling, the Lightbox has not only acquired its own remarkable life, its
transformed so many others. ca Section
above, Left to right eFFecTiVe signage anD lighTing creaTes a highly aPPealing urBan corner conDiTion aT King anD John sTreeTs; PeoPle
queue For TicKeTs in The Three-sTorey aTriuM oF The lighTBox; an inTernal BriDge crossing The aTriuM on The seconD Floor leaDs To
The Three MaJor TheaTre sPaces; The BuilDing successFully engages wiTh The sTreeT Through aMPle TransParency anD signage.
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02/11 canadian architect 23
1 waiTing area
2 BoarD rooM
3 lounge
cLient ToronTo inTernaTional FilM FesTiVal, King + John FesTiVal corPoraTion (c/o The Daniels
corPoraTion)
architect team Bruce KuwaBara, shirley BluMBerg, luigi larocca, MaTThew wilson, MaTT
KriVosuDsKy, Bruno weBer, BrenT wagler, glenn MacMullin, anDrea Macaroun, riTa KiriaKis,
lilly liauKus, carolyn lee, DaViD Poloway, Tyler sharP, DeBra FaBricus, clauDio Venier, ThoM seTo,
walTer gauDeT, KrisTa clarK, winsTon chong, carla Munoz, elizaBeTh PaDen, Bill colaco, nicKo
ellioT, norM li
StructuraL JaBlonsKy, asT anD ParTners
mechanicaL/eLectricaL snc laValin - lKM
Lighting PiVoTal lighTing aFFiliaTeD engineers
Life Safety leBer ruBes inc.
acouSticS aercousTics engineering lTD.
audio-viSuaL wesTBury naTional show sysTeMs & azcar Technologies
theatre conSuLtant PeTer sMiTh archiTecT inc.
Signage goTTschalK + ash
wind Study rwDi engineering
tranSportation Marshall MacKlin Monaghan
food Service Kaizen FooDserVice Planning anD Design inc.
Security MulVey anD Banani
it ehVerT engineering
coSting helyar & associaTes
contractor Pcl consTrucTors canaDa inc.
area 175,000 FT
2
Base; 372,000 FT
2
conDo
budget wiThhelD
compLetion sePTeMBer 2010
fifth fLoor
fourth fLoor
third fLoor
Second fLoor
ground fLoor and Site pLan
1 FilM reFerence collecTion,
recePTion & gallery
2 a/V sTaTions
3 research rooM
4 coMPacT shelVing
1 loBBy
2 TheaTre 4
3 TheaTre 5
4 ProJecTion rooM
5 TheaTre Below
1 loBBy
2 TheaTre 1
3 TheaTre 2
4 TheaTre 3
5 concession
1 Main enTry
2 loBBy
3 TiFF eleVaTor loBBy
4 Box oFFice
5 coaT checK
6 gallery
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0 20
7 sTaging PreP
8 conDo enTry
9 conDy loBBy
10 conDo eleVaTor loBBy
11 conDo DroP-oFF
12 giFT shoP
13 TiFF swing sPace
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City Hall Podium Roof, Toronto
Building Envelope Solutions
From Coast to Coast
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FLYNN CANADA LTD.
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02/]] canadian architect 2'
the miraculous reclamation and rehabili-
tation of the Wadi hanifah river valley
in saudi arabia is explained.
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Inside the intimate lobby of Moriyama &
Teshimas offices on the edge of the upscale
Rosedale neighbourhood in downtown Toronto,
visitors cross a stone bridge over a shallow pool
that contains a dozen swishing koi fish. The
sound of trickling water carries down the hall to a
boardroom adorned with a horizontal tapestry
that resembles abstract waves from a flowing
stream.
The dcor is fitting for an office thats starting
to see the fruits of a decade spent on a project
centred on water. In November of 2010, Mori-
yama & Teshima Planners (MTP)the landscape
design branch of the firmgarnered a well-de-
served Aga Khan Award for Architecture for their
restoration of the Wadi Hanifah, a river valley in
Saudi Arabia. The prestigious prize recognizes
ecological and restoration-minded work in the
Islamic world. With a site 120 kilometres long,
and additional work extending through a
4,032-square-kilometre catchment basin, its
the largest project that MTP has taken on since
its inception as an affiliate to the architecture
firm 30 years ago.
The once lush Wadi Hanifahliterally the
Hanifah Valleyruns from sand dune-covered
desert, through agricultural lands and palm
groves, before crossing the Saudi Kingdoms lar-
gest metropolis, the city of Riyadh. Some of the
citys senior citizens remember playing in the
Wadi Hanifah as children. That was back when
Riyadh was a relatively small townin 1952, it
had 80,000 residents. Since that time, its de-
veloped in leaps and bounds, more than doubling
its population every decade. Today, 7 million
people call Riyadh home.
As the city expanded, it used the Hanifah Valley
as a throughway for utility lines and a dumping
ground for construction waste. The river that
carved out the valley had centuries ago been di-
verted into an underground aquifer, remaining
easily tapped for fresh water. Now, a new kind of
waterway has made its way through the Wadi
Hanifaha foul stream of industrial effluent
from a tannery on the outskirts of town, and dis-
charge from the citys overcapacity sewage treat-
ment plant. It had become Riyadhs sewer and
dump, summarizes MTP president George
Stockton.
Stockton is no stranger to the region. MTP
worked hand in hand with Moriyama & Teshima
Architects on the National Museum of Saudi Ara-
bia, developing the urban design and landscaping
for the 83-acre site in Riyadh, which opened in
1999. That year, Stockton was asked to partici-
pate in a three-week charrette on the future of
above /| |//C| |||US|/||C / ||\ C| H|
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2c canadian architect 02/]]
the city. He focused on open space and the en-
vironment. I identified the Wadi as the oppor-
tunity, he recalls. His paper on the subject be-
came the terms of reference for the project,
headed by the Arriyadh Development Authority
(ADA). In partnership with UK engineering firm
Buro Happold, MTP won a proposal to redevelop
the Wadi Hanifah. At MTP, Stockton and land-
scape architect Drew Wensley headed up the pro-
ject. Soon after the master plan was completed,
the team was commissioned to develop detailed
designs, and on the heels of that phase, the first
pilot projects.
The central idea in Stockton and Wensleys vi-
sion was to use native plants and natural process-
es to restore the riverbed. They proposed re-
greening the valley with indigenous flora that
would mitigate the areas violent flash floods
while doubling as the basis for naturalized parks.
Then, they envisaged cleaning the urban waste-
water stream to a level where it could provide
pub lic amenity within those parks.
Before construction could begin, the riverbed
needed to be cleared: a step where working in a
nation with top-down governance proved a pre-
cious asset. The tannery that poured hazardous
chromium down the Wadi was shut down in two
days. Utilities including water mains, sewage
spur lines, overhead phone wires, power cables,
and irrigation pipes were relocated. 1.5 million
cubic metres of debrisa volume equal to the To-
ronto SkyDome (now the Rogers Centre)was
removed from the riverbed, comprised of every-
thing from construction waste to dead animals.
Once the area was cleared, the team built stone
walls along the edges of the Wadi to set it off from
private property, and began revegetating the an-
cient riverbed with the indigenous species that
had once inhabited it. The ADA and its contract-
ors collected seeds and cuttings from the least
damaged parts of the valley, and used them to
propagate thousands of trees, shrubs, and grasses
in greenhouses. All of these plants have incred-
ible strategies for survival in hot, low-water con-
ditions, explains Stockton. Moreover, the se-
lected species would help temper the Wadis per-
iodic floods, which have worsened with the as-
phalt sprawl of urban development. The shrubs
and plant material that are genetically intrinsic to
the Wadi would have slowed down flood flows
historically, reasons Wensley, noting that over
millennia, these plants adapted to absorb rapidly
moving floodwaters and retain sediments.
The use of native flora was not without contro-
versy, since the locals viewed them as weeds. Al-
though the plan to employ indigenous species
was laid out early on, the ADA remained con-
cerned about whether the public would use a nat-
uralized system, as opposed to a series of formal
parks. Yet Stockton and Wensley resisted the
pressure to bring in imported plants, which
would have required constant care and irrigation.
To justify their decision, they tapped their land-
scape design skills to showcase the beauty they
readily perceived in native grasses, by massing
them together and highlighting them in com-
posed groups. It became like a garden, says
Wensley.
The team arranged the new plants in thousands
of clusters called planting cells, designed in over
150 different shapes and species groupings, ac-
cording to both aesthetic criteria and the varying
above / S||||S C| |/U|/| SC|| \|||S
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02/]] canadian architect 2.
conditions along the Wadi Hanifah. Interspersed
along a 70-kilometre stretch of the Wadi, the
cells acted as miniature plant nurseries, and
within three years had begun to grow out to meet
each other, as well as spreading seeds down-
stream. Now, a textured green carpet is starting
to cover the valley floor. The restored habitat at-
tracts huge numbers of birds, along with small
mammals and some reptileslike the foot-and-
a-half-long lizard that greeted Stockton on a re-
cent visit.
A new road running the length of the Wadi al-
lows for easy access to park areas designed by the
team. In some sections, simple limestone walls
delineate picnic areas and provide families with
visual privacy. Other areas are left open as play
fields for children. A recreational path used for
jogging and walking runs along the edge of the
riverbed. Along select sections, palm-lined prom-
enades add to the oasis-like feel of the valley.
Meanwhile, in the urban core of Riyadh, the
team sought to transform the discharge from the
municipal sewage treatment planttechnically
greywater, but which often approached black-
waterinto something beautiful. This strategy
had two phases. The first was to divert part of the
plants effluent through a man-made channel,
lined with loose rock and equipped with water-
falls that help to introduce oxygen and mix the
water column. The size of the rocks was calibrat-
ed to maximize the quantities of aquatic organ-
isms that could live in the channel bed and digest
organic material from the wastewater.
The channel leads to the main bio-remediation
facility: a large-scale open-air living machine
that, from the air, looks like a family of three
fossil trilobites. Water enters from the top of the
facilitythe tail end of the baby trilobiteand
makes its way through herringbone channels, or
bio-cells, in each of the three successive systems.
A series of operations progressively cleans the
water. At the mouth of the facility, powerful air
pumps blast dissolved oxygen into the water, cre-
ating an environment lethal to coliform bacteria.
Each bio-cells front compartment houses a 3-D
layered textile mata vast, cave-like maze on
which colonies of algae and other micro-fauna
thrive, digesting nutrients from the water. Final-
ly, tilapia feast on the algae. Recent autopsies
have shown the fish to be in perfect health, with
no toxins or parasites. By the time the water exits,
its clear through to the bottommaking the fish
easy to spot for opportunistic herons, egrets and
hawks that have begun to nest in the area.
The success of the facility has been astounding.
As Stockton describes, it came alive in just a few
months rather than a whole year, which is what
we were anticipating. The water that emerges
doesnt smell, and is close to 100 percent clear of
coliform and suspended solids. Although its not
drinking calibre, further treatment could render
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2o canadian architect 02/]]
bio-remediation cell: long section
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it so. The remediated wastewater350,000 cubic
metres of it each dayis especially precious in a
city that normally relies on desalinated seawater,
a costly and energy-intensive source. Aside from
four air blowers, the Wadi facility uses no ma-
chinery, and its capital cost was a third of a con-
ventional wastewater treatment plant.
Instead of being immediately extracted as re-
cycled greywater for the city, the remediated
water is allowed to flow for another 28 kilo-
metres, becoming the lifeblood of a new series of
urban parks. In one area, the water snakes over
the rock outcroppings from a 500-year-old stone
dam. Cut-stone steps ending in a gravel beach
reach out into the water. Downstream, the water
pools into a string of artificial lakes, stocked for
fishing with surplus tilapia from the bio-remedi-
ation facility. Its a very unique experience to
have open bodies of water within the desert en-
vironment, affirms Wensley. Riyadhs public
agreesthey began picnicking in the Wadi while
it was under construction, and now patronize the
parks by the tens of thousands each weekend.
While the Wadi Hanifah has shown remarkable
progress, for MTP, this is just the beginning. Re-
mediation of additional effluent from the muni-
cipal plant continues, and another series of parks
is under construction, connecting side valleys
into the main Wadi system. Theyre also working
on establishing a Wadi Hanifah Directorate that
would ensure the ongoing protection, manage-
ment and enhancement of the river valley. An
educational centre and program are another
critical component. This project will probably
still be under construction in a hundred years,
02/]] canadian architect 2'
bio-remediation site plan
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Nations, and the firm is excited about applying
the process and lessons theyve learned to situa-
tions elsewhere. The bio-remediation facility in
particularbuilt with basic materials and un-
skilled labourholds enormous potential as an
adaptable tool for tackling the globally ubiquitous
problem of urban wastewater.
At its core, the success of the project and its
future potential is a quintessentially Canadian
story, built on strong experience with diverse
natural environments and cultures at home, and
a long-term, consensus-building approach.
Canadian consultants can go to challenging
areas around the world, and with the right
attitudes and eyes wide open, do superb work,
concludes Stockton. Better than almost anybody
else. ca
Elsa Lam is a freelance writer and scholar. She stud-
ied architecture at the University of Waterloo and
McGill, and is completing a PhD in architecture and
landscape history at Columbia University.
theres just so much to do, opines Stockton.
Its got enough scope to evolve, and respond to
new needs, and thats the hallmark of a very
good project.
Meanwhile, the firm is at work on master plans
for Mecca and MedinaSaudi cities that also have
sick watershedsand their approach is garnering
international interest. Wensley has been asked
to present the Wadi Hanifah twice at the United
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32CANADIAN ARChITECT02/11
CALENDAR
Tailoring Form: A Brief Look at
the Anonymous History of the
Template
January 29-March 3, 2011 This exhi
bition by Natalie Fizer and Glenn
Forley of Fizer Forley in New York
City takes place at the Eric Arthur
Gallery in the John H. Daniels Fac
ulty of Architecture, Landscape and
Design at the University of Toronto.
The templates in this exhibition,
culled from a range of industries
and professionsshipbuilding,
automobile design, navigation,
architecture, and fashionregister
shifts in the standardization of pro
duction and representation.
www.daniels.utoronto.ca
WE: Vancouver12 Manifestos
for the City
February 12-May 1, 2011 An exhibi
tion at the Vancouver Art Gallery
celebrates the innovation and di
versity found in the city by bringing
together more than 45 projects from
various disciplinesarchitecture
University of Kentuckys College of
Design speaks at 7:00pm at the Up
town Stage and Screen in Calgary.
www.evds.ucalgary.ca
Todd Saunders: Recent Works
March 1, 2011 Todd Saunders of
Saunders Architecture in Norway
delivers this lecture at 6:30pm at
the Daniels Faculty of Architecture,
Landscape and Design at the Uni
versity of Toronto.
high Performance and Sustain-
able Building Summit
March 1-2, 2011 Taking place at the
Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Airport,
the High Performance and Sustain
able Buildings Summit brings
together leaders from around the
world to share innovative strategies
on greening old and new buildings.
This years summit will provide an
exceptional learning opportunity for
industry leaders to better manage
their sustainable building projects
and refine their professional exper
and design, art and visual culture,
literature and activism.
www.vanartgallery.ca
Contemporary Spaces for
Teaching and Learning
February 21, 2011 Andrew Harrison of
Space that Works, Peter Clegg of
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Nick
Sully and Alec Smith of SHAPE Ar
chi tecture, and Derek Lee of the PWL
Partnership will lecture at 6:30pm in
Room 100 of the Mathematics Build
ing at UBC in Vancouver.
IDC/IIDA Leaders Breakfast
February 24, 2011 More than 300 in
terior designers, architects, media,
government representatives, and
some of BCs most influential busi
ness leaders will attend this mor
ning event at the Vancouver Con
vention Centre.
www.idcanada.org
Drura Parrish lecture
February 24, 2011 Drura Parrish of the
tise. Attendees include architects,
building owners, public officials
and other key decisionmakers.
www.greenbuildingsummit.ca
Larry Beasley lecture
March 2, 2011 Larry Beasley, former
Director of Planning for the City of
Vancouver, delivers a lecture at
6:00pm at the National Gallery of
Canada in Ottawa.
Arcadian urbanism
March 3, 2011 Jerry van Eyck, princi
pal of !melk in New York, delivers
the Cornelia HahnWebb lecture at
6:00pm at UBC Robson Square in
Vancouver.
Sustaining Beauties 2.0, Aes-
thetics as an Ecosystem Service
March 8, 2011 Elizabeth Meyer of the
University of Virginia School of
Architecture delivers this lecture at
6:30pm at the Daniels Faculty of
Architecture, Landscape and Design
at the University of Toronto.
Unilock Architectural Products
Sales Position
Unilock Ltd., the leading manufacturer of concrete paving stones and
retaining walls, has an immediate opening for a bilingual Technical
Representative, Architectural Product Sales. The primary role will be to
secure Unilock product specifcations and sales for commercial, industrial
and municipal projects. The primary job functions include the following:
To work with architectural and landscape architectural professionals in both
the private and public sectors in Ontario and Quebec. Organize and execute
Unilock presentations to these design professionals and owners. Maintain
and grow the number of sales and specifcations of Unilock proprietary
products. Follow up and track projects from early design stage through fnal
sale and installation of Unilock products. Advise the design consultants in
the proper selection and specifcation of products with the correct technical
support. Work all scheduled local association trade shows, meetings,
conferences and other tasks.
Experience & skills required:
The candidate must be fuently bilingual with excellent communication skills
in French and English.
College or university graduate with a background in architecture, landscape
architecture or engineering. Preference will be given to those with previous
sales or related experience. Strong computer skills are required.
Unilock Ltd. offers a competitive salary and excellent employee benefts.
If you are interested in a challenging position, and pursuing a career in a fast
paced manufacturing sales environment, wed like to hear from you.
Interested applicants, please submit resume with salary expectations in
confdence to:
Sales Manager, Commercial Sales
Email: dave.laurie@unilock.com
Unilock regrets that due to the volume of applicants only those selected for an interview will be
contacted. Please no phone calls.
www.hgcengineering.com
Noise, Vibration
and Acoustics
Consulting Engineers

Architectural Acoustics

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02/11CANADIAN ARChITECT33
FormoreinFormationabout
these,andadditionallist-
ingsoFCanadianandinter-
nationalevents,pleasevisit
www.canadianarchitect.com
PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY
Superbigatopolis
March 8, 2011 Michael Maltzan,
principal of Michael Maltzan Archi
tecture in Los Angeles, delivers this
lecture at 6:00pm at UBC Robson
Square in Vancouver.
homa Farjadi lecture
March 14, 2011 Homa Farjadi, pro
fessor and principal of Farjadi
Architects in London, delivers a
lecture at 6:00pm at the National
Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
Barbara Imhof: Architecture
Beyond the Earths horizon
March 14, 2011 This lecture by Bar
bara Imhof of Viennas Liquifer
Systems Group takes place at
6:00pm in Room G10 of the
MacdonaldHarrington Building at
McGill University.
Daoust LestageFrom the City
to the Object
March 15, 2011 Rene Daoust of
Daoust Lestage Inc. in Montreal de
livers this lecture at 6:30pm at the
Daniels Faculty of Architecture,
Landscape and Design at the Uni
versity of Toronto.
Marjan Eggermont lecture
March 17, 2011 Marjan Eggermont,
artist and instructor at the Schulich
School of Engineering speaks at
7:00pm at the Uptown Stage and
Screen in Calgary.
www.evds.ucalgary.ca
Why Manhattan is the Greenest
City in North America
March 17, 2011 New Yorkbased
David Owen, staff writer at The New
Yorker and author of Green Met rop olis,
delivers this lecture at 8:00pm at
the Playhouse Theatre in Vancouver.
34 canadian architect 02/11
BackPage
Its 10:00pm at Bloor and Bathurst Streets in Toronto. The corner is ablaze
in light as the block-long marquee blinks, hums, and twirls. The place could
be Las Vegas, but its Toronto, and Honest Edsthe bargain department
store opened by Ed Mirvish in the late 1940srages on with its light fantas-
tic long after the customers have gone home.
In Toronto, Honest Eds remains a beacon that has touched the lives of
Canadians in very real ways. We used to be able to ask almost any immigrant
who began life in this city about their first shopping experience and they
would invariably tell you that it was at Honest Eds.
Mirvish sold his wares with a barrage of loud neon signs, a carnival
atmosphere, witty slogans, and corny jokesoften at his own expense. As a
communication tool, the visual style is funhouseloud, colourful, an ap-
proach that is of the people.
No other brand identity is so visually distilled, prevalent and easy to use
as Honest Eds ubiquitous hand-painted signs or point-of-sale show
cards, as the in-house painters call it. The iconography is all Ed. No Madi-
son Avenue marketing here. Eds manner and shtick is old-fashioned
populism and salesmanship. The typographical shtick has traditionally been
expressed through a distinct style of hand-painted tempera signs, decked
out in primary colours with gorgeous swirling typography. The signs are
busy and fast, while telling you in a not so subtle way to come in, buy, and
get out!
In its heyday, Mirvish employed an army of painters working at a hectic
pace to produce the thousands of hand-painted signs assigned to each indi-
vidual product. Today only two painters remain: Doug Kerr and Wayne Reu-
ben. Reuben says that the style of the signs was developed over time and
passed on through apprentices just like him. Reuben was raw talent when
he started in 1967; the old-timers taught him from the ground up. He came
into his own by developing a star symbol that finishes all of his work. He
says, It was something that I picked. I drew them to fill in the space and it
became my trademark. Kerr says the casual style of the signs is a form of
freehand style that you slash out. Everyone has a casual style, but no two
are ever the same and there are always idiosyncrasies, he admits.
Kerr and Reuben are what remain of a long-established tradition of the
hand-painted-sign industry in Canada. And Honest Eds is one of the last
remaining retail institutions to employ painters who can generate mer-
chandising, wayfinding and information design.
Ed Mirvish passed away in 2007, yet he is everywhere. The hand-painted
confections found at Honest Eds are a delightful anachronism disconnect-
ed from our contemporary digital world. These iconic signs awaken the
child in us; they speak to us and about us. And as long as they remain, we
will always have Honest Eds telling us to buy, buy, buy! ca
John Martins-Manteiga is the director of Dominion Modern and the author of
Peter Dickinson. His new book Mtro focuses on the Montreal subway, and is
due to be released soon.
hOneSt edWardianiSM
LeFt One Of the thOusands Of hand-painted signs that have
been used fOr decades tO prOmOte feature items On sale at
hOnest eds. aBOVe using an Old-fashiOned apprOach tO mer-
chandising, mass display and signage has defined this tOrOn-
tO institutiOn since 1948.
teXt JOhn martins-manteiga
PhOtOS dOdy Kiala/JOhn martins-manteiga
fOr decades, hand-painted signs created tO entice custOmers
and annOunce the latest bargains have defined the aesthetic Of
hOnest eds, tOrOntOs famed and icOnic bargain department
stOre.
The environment
can count on us
Thanks to your support, MAPEIs alliance
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Program has resulted in the planting of more
than 200,000 trees in 2010. While MAPEIs
commitment to the environment has been
the standard of the construction industry
for many years, this program plants our
reputation frmly in the ground for years to
come. Your purchases of MAPEIs Ultrabond
ECO urethane adhesives have aided
reforestation efforts that help to fght climate
change, keep drinking water clean, provide
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greener world.
All of MAPEIs Ultrabond ECO

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are now formulated with rapidly renewable raw materials.
3764 CDNArch-MAPEI-Feb2011.indd 1 1/26/11 9:19 AM
Energy
Indoor Climate Environment
Health
& Comfort
A beacon for sustainable design
Green lighthouse
Is one of the six Model Home 2020 projects the VELUX Group is
working on. We are working hard today on solutions for tomorrow
through collaboration on innovative structures with an ideal balance
of energy efciency, architectural quality, a healthy indoor climate
and optimal daylight conditions.
Green Lighthouse has won numerous awards for its sustainable and
visionary design. For more details, visit velux.com/modelhome2020.
velux.ca VELUX Canada Inc.
Cdn Arch Jan 2011 Ad Final.indd 1 1/21/11 3:27 PM